


An Awakening of Chaos

by Niskaru_Fanfictions



Series: A Rift in Universes [5]
Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Bad Puns, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Future Angst, Hijinks & Shenanigans, I plan on publishing this thing, I'm Bad At Summaries, Made-up Gods, Magic, Magical Tiers, Multiple Universes, No Smut, Original work - Freeform, Platonic Relationships, Politics, Test run for my book, Unrequited Love, feedback, fraternal relationships, universe shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-16 05:41:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14805437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niskaru_Fanfictions/pseuds/Niskaru_Fanfictions
Summary: In a modern world of magic and politics, Sapphire must find a way to deal with a new threat that may not be as new as she originally thought. Travelling through universes because of some unknown force, Sapphire must learn to face her past head-on with the help of her friends and allies to stop the balance of the universes from tipping.





	1. A Beta Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So, this is an original story that I want to give a quick test run. I'm posting the first two chapters here, maybe even the third, but not everything because It's a book I want to actually attempt to publish. I'll probably also post a like to poll here to find out what the heck to actually name this, but until then, this is a little test run to see how this is received.
> 
> Please leave feedback for me to improve my writing upon, and enjoy this little teaser!

 

 

 

I weaved between trees, my legs burning, and my lungs heaving from the small amount of oxygen I was getting as opposed to what I should be getting. Stings were barely noticeable along my arms, but they were still there as branches and foliage scraped against any bare skin it could. Large, towering trees were a blur as I passed between them, looking for an opening, or for a dark spot that would give me some coverage. The smell of rain and mud was still heavy in the air from the shower that had happened not to long ago while I was still at work. The mud slowed me down greatly, but I kept going, not looking back, and hoping that it was slowing down my chaser as well. I rolled under a fallen tree that was too far up to jump above, and I felt more stings appear along my arms. It took all I had not to panic at the heavy footsteps behind me, easily keeping pace with my frantic running, and somehow I could only imagine that he was  _letting_  me continue to run. That he could easily catch up to me if he’d like to. Pushing the thought to the side, I nearly cried in relief at the sight of my house, large and looming, on the other side of the up and coming street. The footsteps behind me increased their pace slightly, and I felt tears stinging the corner of my eyes as I sucked in quick and shallow breaths.  _Goddammit, this is why I should be in shape instead of being lazy._  I finally broke through the treeline, and made a beeline for my house, crossing the street with reckless abandon. Somehow forgetting about the raised curb of the sidewalk, I tripped, and scraped my already abused knees and palms against the concrete as I tried to break my fall. A whimper escaped me as the footsteps slowed to a teasing walk, and I did the last thing I  _could_  do.

 

“AVENIR!” I screamed out for my friend and roommate, hearing the door fly open immediately afterwards.

 

The footsteps stopped, and a voice seemed to penetrate my head, it’s tone a cross between annoyed and amused,  ** _“While it was fun to play, this isn’t over quite yet, little puppet. I’ll be seeing you again very soon.”_**

 

Avenir, the man who had shoved open the front door the moment I called his name, rushed over to my prone form, and he knelt down next to me, his hands worriedly hovering over my body. After confirming that I didn’t have any wounds too major, he looked around the area.

 

But whoever was following me had already left.

 

“Jesus, what happened to you, kid? You look like you’ve decided to get into a fight with a tree, and then lost. Multiple times.” Avenir said, helping me up despite the protests of my now wobbly legs.

 

Now that the adrenaline has finally started to wear off, the stings become much more pronounced, and my aches come back with a vengeance. I slowly let out a shaky breath, trying to control my heartbeat and breathing, and I lean a little more weight into Avenir as exhaustion starts to settle in.

 

Seeing my state, Avenir scoops me into his arms bridal style, and carried me into the house where a worried Sedephio is waiting. At his worried look, I give him a shaky thumbs up, but it doesn’t seem to convince him at all. Avenir set me down on the couch, and Sedephio walked forward, his hands already covered in a green aura.

 

“What happened to you?” Avenir questioned.

 

I let out a breath of relief at the warm sensation of healing magic, and sent Sedephio a grateful look.

 

“I was just on my way home when I felt like I was being watched, I took the shortcut home, and the next thing I know, I’m in a chase, running from someone.” I explain, sinking into the couch now that the sting from the cuts were gone and the aches in my muscles were fading. Gotta love that healing magic.

 

Avenir’s lips are set in a thin line, and he shoves his hands into his large, black coat. Sedephio is messing around with his hands, his eyes never staying on a single point of the house, and he seems to be lost in thought.

 

“I knew we should’ve been more careful,” Avenir mumbles, “Living with tier 6 wizards puts a large ass target on your back.”

 

I let him go off into his own thoughts as I study the room I already knew like the back of my hand. The couch I was sitting on was against the wall with the front door, along with a loveseat next to the couch. There was a coffee table a few few in front of me for any stray items to be placed on, and a T.V. was on the wall directly across from me, with a doorway to the kitchen slightly to it’s right, and to it’s left was an archway to a hallway filled with doors. My eyes landed on Sedephio who stood a whopping 6’5” feet tall, though thankfully it didn’t seem like he’d be getting any taller. He was skinny and rarely slouched, and his bright orange eyes that always seemed to sparkle sometimes threw people off, especially while it was paired with his unusual silvery-white hair. He currently wore his armor meaning he was leaving for work soon- or just now coming back. The armor was a dark gray color that had an orange trim to match his eyes, with fancy designs covering the breastplate and the greaves.

 

Avenir, on the contrary, was the complete opposite of his tall brother. My eyes shifted over to him, and it seems that he’s now taken to shoving his hands into the large pockets of the fluffy black jacket that he  _never_  took off. He stood much shorter than Sedephio and was also only an inch taller than me, standing at 5’6” with a slight slouch. His navy blue eyes popped against his pale skin and hair that matched his brother’s. Contrary to his brothers sharp chin and jaw, Avenir had a more rounded face and button nose. While not wearing the armor made for him, (he never did), it was obvious that he was also about to head out with Sedephio.

 

“Did you get a good look at him at all?” Avenir asks finally, his gaze turning to me.

 

I shook my head as a negative response and Avenir frowned, but refrained from saying anything. He sat down on the couch with me and let his eyes slip shut.

 

Avenir mumbled something under his breath then spoke, “We’ll need to talk with Nathal about this tomorrow.”

 

“For now, how about we get some rest, yes? You must be worn out, Sapphire.” I nod at Sedephio, and sink further into the couch, both of the brothers plopping down next to me.

 

Sedephio curled up to me, his armor a little harsh against my skin, but I didn’t mind. The tall man could be such a cinnamon roll at times. Meanwhile Avenir leaned against me, the side of his head resting against my shoulder, but his eyes still wide open.

 

“We’ll be okay,” I whisper to them both, “I’ll be fine with you both here next to me. I know you guys won’t let anything happen to me.”

 

I felt Avenir relax at my words, “‘Course we wouldn’t, Saph.”

 

“We’ve always got your back,” Sedephio added onto Avenir’s words.

 

“No matter where you are, just call our names, and we’ll be there.” Avenir says firmly, and my eyes meet his.

 

They seem to twinkle as he looks at me, and I give him a soft smile. I lean my head on top of his, and let out a soft breath, “You guys are the best.”

 

“Of course we are!” Sedephio exclaimed happily, and I knew that there was no ego behind it. It was him just being his pure self. A spark of blue from Avenir’s hands, and all the lights suddenly flip off except for a nearby lamp, and I close my eyes, already feeling tired. Just before I drifted off, I faintly felt a hand intertwine with mine, and heard a whisper of ‘Goodnight, Saph,’ before losing consciousness completely.

 

I found myself floating in an inky blackness, feeling as if I was underwater. Breathing was a little difficult, but not too much so as I looked around my surrounding, finding nothing.

 

“Odd,” I mumble out, turning around.

 

There was a certain lack of pretty much anything except my own body that made it difficult to comprehend where I was. There was no breeze, no air, no light. I focused on my hands, and realize that, despite seeing it, I couldn’t feel my fingernails digging into the palms of my hands. I chalked it up to the fact that I was dreaming, and let out a sigh, closing my eyes, not that it made much of a difference sight-wise.

 

Static seemed to fill the air, and I opened my eyes to look around once more. A blurred figure came into view, making my eyes strain to see him properly. I made out a tall and lanky body with a black suit on, and a long coat to match, but his face seemed to get worse than before. The static warped and stuttered, and I started to wonder if that was this man trying to speak. His arm raised, and he gave me a small wave. Just as I raised my arm to wave back, I was suddenly ripped from the dream, and my eyes opened into a bright room.

 

I squeezed them shut again, and blinked fast, letting my eyes adjust to the new light.

 

“Sapphire?” I heard Sedephio ask, and I looked to my left, where he was still curled against me.

 

I glanced over at him, and gave Sedephio a small smile, “Mornin’.”

 

I glanced to my right and saw that Avenir was still fast asleep, his arms now around my waist, and one of them holding my left hand. I held back the urge to coo, and let myself gain back my bearings from the odd dream. It was the first strange one I’ve had in a long time, and I couldn’t help but feel as if I knew the man I had seen. My thoughts were interrupted when Sedephio shifted and carefully stood up, leaving me with Avenir.

 

“I will go make us some dinner, okay?” He said, leaving the room.

 

I let out a puff of air, resting my head against Avenir’s again, and I felt a twinge of pain shoot down my neck, making me wince. That would be fun to deal with throughout the day. I close my eyes, letting my breath even out, and I found myself slowly slipping out of consciousness again, before jerking away at knocking on the front door. Avenir stirred slightly, pulling himself closer to me, and I shook of my tiredness. Sedephio passed us and opened the door, and I watched as he became happily surprised by our visiter.

 

“Ah, Nathal, Nisk! A pleasure to see you both here,” He said, keeping his voice low.

 

“Why are you being quiet my friend?” I heard Nathal ask.

 

“Avenir is currently asleep on the couch. He deserves the nap, so I’ve decided to let him sleep in,” Sedephio explains, opening the door wider, “Come in!”

 

Nathal steps in, his eyes immediately finding Avenir and I on the couch. Nathal is a tier six fae, who is also the current representative of fae’s, and well known throughout the whole race for his kindness, as well as his size. He’s tall and broad with a lot of muscle to compliment. His short, sun yellow hair was unusual, even for the race of fae, but oddly complemented sky blue eyes that always seemed to twinkle.

  
 

“Ah, I see now. Hello there, Sapphire. It’s very good to see you again,” He says, a smile gracing his features.

 

I smile in greeting, and Nisk moves to stand beside him, a smile appearing on her face once she sees us. Nisk was a well known fae for many reasons, one of which being Nathal’s guard. And a good guard at that. Her golden eyes are off-putting to pretty much any who first meet her, but her long hazel hair and slightly sharp face complement it well. She’s only a tier five fae, but powerful nonetheless because of her expertise in conjuring magic. She’s as kind as her charge and protective of those she cares about. I already knew that the moment she finds out about the attack on me that she’d go on a rampage, it was just in her nature.

 

“I finally found a ship for you, Saph, oh my god,” She says excitedly.

 

Straightening out the long coat that went down to her feet, she pulls out her phone, one she’s had for years now, and took a picture despite my quiet protests.

 

“Nyala’s gonna love this,” She teases with a smirk.

 

“Dear god save me now,” I say with a groan.

 

Nathal and Nisk both laugh, and she pockets her phone, looking down at Avenir.

 

“In all truthfulness, I’m glad Avenir is getting rest. The Judge deserves it.” She says.

 

Nathal nods in agreement and turns to Sedephio, “Now what was it that you and your brother needed to talk about? It seemed urgent.”

 

“It is,” Avenir says with a slight slur, “You should have woken me up earlier so I could have this conversation with a clear mind though.”

 

Nathal gives him an apologetic glance while Nisk is smirking. It takes a moment, but you can tell when Avenir realizes what position he’s in when the dark ruby blush covers his cheeks and a bit of his nose. He pulls away as casually as he could, and stands up from the couch, walking into the kitchen without looking back.

 

“Let’s get this conversation started, yes?” He says without looking back.

 

“He’s awake now,” Nisk states cheekily before following him in.

 

Nathal chuckles and walks into the kitchen as well, Sedephio pulls me off the couch with a smile, and follows me into the room. I spot everyone sitting on bar stools surrounding the island counter, and I sit down next to Avenir, with Sedephio beside me. Across from us, Nisk and Nathal sat impatiently, awaiting the conversation. Nisk fiddled with a purple, glowing orb in her hands, her eyes looking between the three of us. She seemed to sense tension in the air, and focused down at the orb in her hand. It exploded into small purple fireworks which quickly fizzled out, with nothing remaining. Avenir let out a small chuckle at the display.

 

“So, what’s up?” Nisk asks after another moment of silence.

 

“Well,” Avenir starts, “Yesterday, Sapphire got attacked.”

 

Nathal and Nisk both froze, and Nisk turned to me.

 

“By whom?” She ground out, her teeth clenched.

 

I knew I wasn’t the one she was angry with, but her anger was making me feel a little meek, as I told her that I didn’t know. Nisk’s golden eyes flared slightly, a sign of her anger and her magic acting up, and she shut them, taking slow and deep breaths to calm herself.

 

“So you have no idea who did it?” Nathal asks, “What exactly happened?”

 

I proceeded to explain that I had felt like I was being followed on my way home from work, and took the shortcut home through the forest, hoping the cover would help me lose them, and next thing I had known, it turned into a fully blown chase. I decided that leaving out his unusual voice in my head was the best option, lest they didn’t believe me.

 

“Lemn and Kyla should be informed of this,” Nisk says, “They don’t stick to their charge’s side as often, they’d be able to guard you.”

 

“Maybe so, but Donhol wouldn’t be to happy about his guard serving someone else. Jeneris might be fine with it though, if he was told about the situation.” Nathal contemplates.

 

“Nyala also works, ever since the government assigned me to you, there hasn’t been much for her to do. She might like to help our friend, anyways.” Nisk counters.

 

“As nice as it is that you guys are looking out for me, I’d really prefer to not have a guard next to me nearly 24/7,” I speak up.

 

Nisk lets out a puff of air, “Okay… well, we can try something different then. Maybe something you can use to alert us when-  _if_  you’re ever in danger again.”

 

“Maybe a necklace?” I ask, “I mean, I’m always wearing at least  _one_ , so it’d work.”

 

“We can connect it to our magic,” Avenir chips in, “so we’re directly alerted instead of relying on a phone or something.”

 

I nod, “Sounds better, at least.”

 

“Then it’s settled,” Nathal says, “I’m sure I can work with you to find something you’d like to wear, and we can all tie our magic to it.”

 

“Nope,” Nisk says, “It’s been a while since Sapphire’s hung out with us guards for some girl time. We can take care of that.”

 

“You rarely get ‘girl time’ because you're constantly by my side guarding me,” Nathal says teasingly.

 

Nisk snickers, “Yeah, yeah, I know, but still!”

 

Nathal waves her off, “Alright, I’ll let you take care of it then.”

 

Nisk brightens up, “Great!”

 

She stands up and pats me on the back, “Let’s go then, Mate!”

 

“Wait- right now?” I ask, surprised.

 

She lets out a snort, “Yeah, right now, neither me, Lemn, or Kyla have lives, it’s not like we have anything better to do.”

 

I sputter as she pulls me off the stool and out the door despite Avenir’s and Sedephio’s protests. She pulls out her phone, and I watch as she quickly pulls up some sort of group conversation and holds the phone to her ear, probably waiting for them to pick up. She doesn’t have to wait long, and I zone out her chatter, and look around the street and forest’s edge, though not for anything in particular. A rustle in the bushes catch my attention, and I squint, trying to see if I can spot what was causing it. After a moment of searching, we walk too far for me to be able to see any details, and I give up, letting my gaze continue to wander. Nisk suddenly throws her arm around my shoulder, and I realize that she’s now off the phone.

 

“Sapphire, there’s a few things that we need to discuss,” She says, and I look at her in confusion.

 

“... Like what exactly?” I ask. I knew that Nisk,  _especially_  when paired with Lemn and Kyla, could say and do the most random and weird things.

 

“This… person that attacked you, I know you didn’t see them, but I know you had  _some_  sort of interaction with them,” Nisk says matter-of-factly.

 

I grow nervous, trying not to break eye contact, “Oh?”

 

She searches my face, “What did they say?”

 

I look away, “N-Nothing.”

 

She lets out a sigh, “I won’t judge you, if  _that’s_  what you’re worried about. And if it’s some sort of threat… well, I need to know.”

 

I go silent, debating whether or not to actually tell her. She squeezes my shoulder slightly, as if trying to reassure me.

 

“It wasn’t so much as to what was said out loud. It was almost as if his voice was in my head,” I say slowly, watching her reaction carefully.

 

Nisk’s expression hardens, and a frown sets upon her face, “In your head? That’s…. what magic does that? I mean, Illusion creates images and hallucinations, but I’m not aware of it doing anything like that. I’d have to ask Kyla about it.”

 

“You…. believe me?” I ask, surprised.

 

She faces me, a weak, teasing smile on her face, “In a land of magic, almost anything is possible, Sapphire. Of  _course_  I believe you.”

 

I let out a sigh of relief and realize that,  _yes_ , it’s entirely possible in a world like ours. I suppose I was just being a bit silly.

 

“Anyways! Lemn and Kyla will meet us in a reliable jewelers shop that I found not to long ago,” Nisk says, “We’ll see if we can find ya something you like there, okay?”

 

I nod my assent, not minding it.

 

“Great!” She exclaims, looking ahead again.

 

To most, she would look relaxed and her posture slouched, but after knowing her and her friends for a while now, I knew that she was still on guard, waiting and watching for any type of danger. It seems like the attack had left her on guard and weary. Despite this, she had tried her best to keep the atmosphere light by telling nonstop cheesy jokes, that had me laughing too hard to actually walk, making the time to get to our destination much longer than it should have been.

 

I find myself in front of a slightly rickety and old, but still warm and homish looking building. The lights in the window were dim, as if lit by candlelight, and black outlines of curtains can be seen through it. The building itself seemed to be made of a dark wood, likely mahogany, which seems to be well out together, if not slightly aged. Without being able to look at anymore details, Nisk drags me in, and I see her eyes sweep throughout the streets before shutting the door behind her.

 

“Nisk, Sapphire! Good to see you both again,” Lemn shouts happily, drawing the attention of us both.

 

Nisk brightens, “Lemn, glad to see you, where’s Kyla?”

 

Lemn gestures to a nearby doorway, partially covered by hanging curtains, “currently talking with the owner of this establishment. We’ve found that she’s quite nice.”

 

Nisk’s shoulders drop slightly, “That’s good to hear. How about you and Sapphire catch up while I go to the back and ask about a few things.

 

Lemn throws her arm around my shoulders just as Nisk’s arm leaves it.  _Goddammit._

 

“I gotcha covered, Mate!”

 

With that, Nisk walks past the curtains, and into the next room where faint voices are heard greeting her. I turn and look at the interior of the store, surprised to see the inside much different from what I thought it would be. While the outside looked worn and old, the inside was certainly kept up to date. The dark, wooden floors looked nearly pristine, with colorful and fancy rugs covering most of the floor. The walls were littered in curtains, paintings, and drapes, making it almost look like the store belongs to some sort of gypsy or hippie. Near the back wall was a large, long glass case, lit up by LED lights, giving the jewelry in it a sort of glow. It was possibly the most modern-looking thing in the store. Next to it, in the far right corner, were stacks of pillows of all sorts of colors, and drapes were partially shielding the area, and it further cemented the fact that this looked like a gypsy room.

 

“So, you okay?” Lemn asked me.

 

I let out a confused hum, looking up at the guard. Lemn, the guard to the representative of Mages, is well known for not only her personality, but her looks and humor as well. Her eyes, despite being gray, never seemed to stop shining with mirth, and her short autumn burn hair framed her face well, making her one of the most popular guards. Only being a tier five mage, Lemn is well known for her expertise in the fire element, despite elemental magic being limited to tier sixes. It made her one of the most desirable guards of the generation.

 

“Nisk explained the whole situation to us, Sapphire… I just want to be sure that you’re okay.”

 

“Oh…” I say, looking away, “Yeah, I’m fine. A little shook is all.”

 

“Well, that’s good…” She muttered then smiled, “If you ever need anyone to watch your back, I’m your gal. I’m sure Jeneris won’t mind if I took a couple days off to keep an eye out for my friend”

 

“I think I’ll be fine Lemn,” I reassure her, facing the glass full of jewelry again, “I think Nisk is overreacting a bit, is all.”

 

Lemn raises her eyebrow, “Didn’t sound like it to me… but if you’re sure you’d be fine…”

 

“Nope,” Nisk says, walking out from the back, “I actually wanted to talk about you watching Sapphire’s back for a bit, Lemn. I was hoping you’d ask Jeneris and see if he’d be okay with that.”

 

“Have you met Jeneris? He’ll be more than okay with this. I’m not even joking, that guy has a heart of gold…” she trailed off and pulled her cell phone from her back pocket.

 

As she does this, my eyes travel over to Kyla who had just came out of the room as well. Her piercing blue eyes met mine, and she gave me a kind smile, her long, light brown hair swaying a little as she turns to look at the woman behind her, who I couldn’t see yet.

 

Kyla, guard of Donhol the representative of Spirikin, is her charge’s complete opposite. While Donhol hosts quite the temper, Kyla is there to combat it with her patience and wit. Kyla is a kind hearted woman who looks after those she cares for, and has quick reflexes that make her a good guard.

 

Nisk draws my attention back to her when she speaks, “I don’t trust the fact that we don’t know who the attacker is, so I’m glad that someone is able to watch over her for now.” Lemn nods in my direction.

 

I let out a huff, but decide to remain quiet for now, walking up to the glass case to properly look at what’s inside.

 

“Find anything?” Kyla asks, walking up next to me.

 

I shrug, “Well, I just started looking, so not really.”

 

An old lady, presumably the owner of this store walks up behind the glass case, smiling at me.

 

“Do you know what exactly you’re looking for?” She asks, and after a moment of hesitation, I shake my head.

 

“Just looking for a necklace, not sure which one,” I say, giving her a weak smile.

 

She chuckles softly, then studies me, “I think I can help you narrow this down for you, child.”

 

I watched as she pulled out four different necklaces, all of them very different in appearance and color. Each glimmered in the light and I feared for how expensive they may be.

 

As if reading my mind, Nisk put a hand on my shoulder, “Don’t worry about the price. Nathal insisted he covered it, so you won’t be paying.”

 

… that only made me feel worse, but I decided not to say that out loud. I’d have to find a way to pay Nathal back at some point. The first necklace I walked up to was a beautiful Onyx, shaped like a snake with it’s head raised, big beady eyes, and a smile on its features. It was… honestly really adorable, and the Onyx really suited it. It was on a long, silver chain, and I guessed that if I tried it on, it would reach just under my collarbone. I ran my hands over the smooth and polished texture, relishing in the feeling of the gem.

 

“A beautiful piece is it not?” The woman asks, “Onyx is said to help with mental health, and to help banish negative feelings.”

 

I smile up at her, and move on to the next one.

 

A shining aquamarine Manta Ray, was laid out, a black string serving as its chain, and I carefully lifted it up. It’s fins were spread out, and slightly wavy, as if in the middle of swimming, and I almost cooed at the beady eyes on it’s head. A white, shiny outline on its body looked like diamond, and I carefully set it down, moving onto the next.

 

A small, jade turtle on a silver chain stared back at me, the thing looking as if it were a newborn turtle, making its way to see. Spots were around its body, and you could see the detail carved into the shell, onyx eyes were on the sides of it’s head, and I found myself quite liking this necklace. Moving onto the last one, I found myself looking at a baby dragon that could only be described as chibi. It’s arms and wings were spread out while the legs were tucked close to the body, as if mimicking the dragon in flight. The ruby shined and contrasted against the aquamarine eyes, making a beautiful combination despite the fact that they were opposite colors.

 

All four necklaces were beautiful and intricate, but my eyes were drawn towards the jade turtle, and I picked it up, studying it in my hand. It almost seemed to glow, and the lady smiled.

 

“That one?” She asks, though it seemed like she already knew the answer.

 

I nodded, smiling up at her, “Yes please.”

 

Lemn picked up the aquamarine Manta Ray, her eyes shining while Kyla picked up the Onyx Snake. Nisk carefully lifted the ruby dragon, and faced the old woman.

 

“Actually, we’ll take all four, if that’s alright with you?” Nisk asks, looking between the rest of us.

 

The woman chuckled, “Of course. I’m glad they fit your fancy.”

 

The ruby dragon seemed to shine, and Nisk looked down at it, a smile gracing her features.

 

“That’s quite the attunement there,” The lady commented, looking down at the dragon.

 

“I noticed, yes. It’s magical, I’m assuming. What type?” Nisk asks, pulling out two seperate cards, and handing them over to the owner.

 

“I’m not sure. To be honest, I didn’t even realize it was magical,” The owner says, “I guess you’ll find out eventually, though.”

 

“I suppose so,” Nisk comments.

 

Nisk clasps it’s golden chain around her neck, and I follow suit with my own necklace, feeling it rest on my chest. It was a comfort, feeling the weight there, and I watched as Lemn and Kyla put on their own necklaces.

 

“Nathal’s paying for this all, right?” Lemn asked, looking over at Nisk.

 

“Nathal’s paying for Sapphire’s. I already paid for ours,” Nisk says, smirking at Lemn.

 

“Woah- What?! Mate, you shouldn’t have!”

 

Nisk shrugs, “I don’t really buy things often, so I can afford it pretty easily.”

 

Kyla clasps the necklace in her hand, “Well, thank you. I will treasure it always.”

 

“Oh jeez,” Nisk says, getting flustered, “Anyways, thank you again ma’am.”

 

The old lady nods, a smile on her face, “Good luck to the four of you with whatever you’re doing!”

 

Nisk turns to the three of us, “Now, let’s see… anybody hungry?”

 

“Yes. Yes I am.” Lemn replied.

 

I nod my assent, feeling my stomach rumble, but thankfully not loudly.

 

“Great! Anyone know what they want?” Kyla glances around in search of food.

 

“Souls of the damned,” Lemn replies instantly, and Nisk laughs, as I glance over at Lemn wondering if she was alright.

 

“How does pizza sound?” I ask.

 

“Not as fun, but acceptable.” Kyla answers.

 

I roll my eyes playfully, and let Nisk lead the way out of the store, the rest of us in tow. Lemn had ever so casually thrown her arm over my shoulder, and I decided just to let it happen, knowing it would only get worse if I tried to struggle. Nisk and Kyla stayed slightly ahead of us, talking about something, though I couldn’t quite hear what. Kyla looked confused and concerned while Nisk’s face was unreadable, and I reasoned that they were talking about the hole ‘voice in my head’ thing after the chase.

 

“Soo….” I start, staring ahead at the pair that’s talking.

 

Lemn hummed in response, turning to me.

 

I shrug, “I don’t know what to talk about, I was honestly just trying to do something to stop the silence.”

 

“Makes sense.” Lemn chuckled.

 

And back into silence we go. Fun.

 

“Just asking for a friend,” Lemn started, sensing the tense atmosphere, “but you’re single, right?”

 

I cough on my own spit, hunching forward a bit and coughing, completely caught off guard. Nisk and Kyla both look back and stop walking, worried. I wave them off, and gather my breath and wits.

 

“W-What?”

  
“I just thought you were dating Avenir. I was just checking to be sure.” She turned to me and grinned widely.

 

A blush lightly covers my cheeks, “Dear god,  _no_ , we aren’t dating.”

 

“Ah, cool beans. Like I said, just checking.”

 

“... Okay then.”

 

“Here we go!” Nisk shouts, standing in front of the doors to a restaurant, “If I remember correctly, they have really good pizza here!”

 

With the promise of good food, we enter the small restaurant, and are immediately greeted by a hostess who gives us a kind smile, and leads us to our seats. After a moment of looking over drinks, a waitress comes over and asks us for our drinks. We quickly list off what we wanted, and she walks off with a wink directed towards Lemn. I nudge Lemn slightly, giving her a teasing smirk.

 

“I think the waitress likes you,” I tease.

 

“Really?” Lemn cocks her brow.

 

Nisk decides to butt in, “I think so too. Come on, she was giving you glances and googly eyes the whole time she was being told what our drinks were. Five bucks says she got one of ours wrong because of that.”

 

“Ten bucks says Lemn leaves with her number,” Kyla adds.

 

I let out a snort, “It’s entirely possible, I wouldn’t be surprised about either of those. I can’t take those bets, cause I know that I’d lose.”

 

“You three are probably just imagining things,” Lemn smirks slightly.

 

“Then take the bets,” Nisk says, raising her eyebrows, “If you’re so sure of yourself.”

 

“I don’t have any money on me.”

 

“You can just give it to us another time. We see each other quite often, after all,” Nisk says.

 

“I will also accept most cards and first born children,” Kyla adds jokingly.

 

Lemn sighs, “Fine, but only cause Nisk paid for the necklaces.”

 

The waitress comes back, and just as Nisk had predicted, my drink had ended up being wrong, to which the waitress blushed and apologized, leaving to go get me the proper drink. Nisk smirks smugly at Lemn, knowing that she had just gotten an easy five dollars.

 

“Come on…” Lemn mutters.

 

Thankfully when she comes back for our meals, she pays more attention to our orders, still managing to sneak glances towards Lemn. The woman could  _really_  multitask if she wanted to, apparently.

 

“Can I take back what I said earlier?” Lemn whispers to me.

 

“Nope. Not a chance,” Kyla responds quickly, knowing exactly what would happen around the time that they got the bill.

 

“No mercy for you today, Lemn,” Nisk adds with a little laugh.

 

“You shouldn’t have taken that bet, Lemn,” I say with a laugh. Lemn groans in response.

 

We ate in relative peace when our food arrives, and banter ensues between us all, as we enjoy our meals. Every once and a while, I see Nisk reach up and touch her ruby dragon, as if assuring herself that it was still there. I let it drop, deciding to ask about that later, and when the food finishes, the check arrives. After one more smile towards Lemn from the waitress, she leaves, wringing her hands, as if nervous. Nisk quickly swipes up the check, and laughs. She turns it towards the rest of us and, sure enough, a number is written on the bottom, with the waitresses name written next to it, and Lemn in cursive letters directly under it.

 

“What did I tell you?” Kyla asks, “That’s an easy ten dollars in my pocket.”

 

Nisk cackled as she stood up, and the rest of us followed, on our way out, I spotted the waitress watching us leave, and I shot her a thumbs up. She brightens, and walks back to do her work, looking in a much better mood than she did before.

 

With that, we left the restaurant, and started making our way back to my house, all of us in a much better mood than when the day had started.


	2. Oh Look, Everyone Can Actually Fight

 

 

   At some point our positioning had changed and I found myself walking alongside Kyla, with Lemn and Nisk behind us, talking to each other. We were both silent, but thankfully it wasn’t awkward. The chatter behind us helped fill the silence and make it less tense, and I was grateful for that. I kept fiddling with the jade turtle necklace, staring at its carved out intricacies, and tracing them with the pad of my finger. The sunlight seemed to hit the necklace just right and it seemed to glow a light green. My hand and finger both started to tingle lightly before both the glowing and the sensation disappeared. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I suddenly became uneasy. My eyes swept the streets, and landed on a hooded figure across the street slightly ahead of us, sitting down and presumably looking directly at us. I felt the jade tingle against the skin of my chest, and I fought the urge to grab it again. I look away, and nudge Kyla, who gives me a questioning look. When I look back at where the man was, I find that he’s no longer there. Yet somehow, I find that pale white eyes are cemented into my memory.

 

I let out a sigh, and shake my head when Kyla gives me another questioning glance.

 

“It’s nothing, just my imagination is all,” I dismiss, grabbing my necklace.

 

She looks me over, “Are you sure?”

 

“Positive.”

 

She drops the matter, though occasionally glances back at me, as if to make sure that I was alright. The tingling in my jade necklace didn’t leave until we were a block from home, and it worried me. Nonetheless, I was glad to be home again. When I opened the door, I was surprised to hear it eerily quiet, and I searched the living room and kitchen, finding both of them empty. A crash in my backyard had me sprinting outside, with the guards hot on my heels, and I quickly threw myself outside the door, not sure what to expect.

 

I found myself looking at a Nathal, who was looking at the ground in front of him with worry, where a broken mug lay, and what looked like coffee spilled all around it.

 

Nathal looked up and saw my shocked face, “I am very sorry, erm, about your mug…. and porch. The mug slipped through my fingers.”

 

I continued to stare.

 

“What the fuck.”

 

“I-I can get you a new-”

 

“I wasn’t worried about the mug,” I cut him off with a wave of my hand, “I was scared half to death thinking something happened to you guys.”

 

“Sorry Nyala, but I’m not that easy to hit!” Sedephio’s shout caught my attention, and I found myself looking at a war zone. 

 

Sedephio and Nyala were both sparring against each other in my backyard.

 

Y̢͟͜o̶̸u̸̸͘͜͟͟͢͟͡ ̶͠͠d͘҉̶o҉̷̕͜n'̶̧̛͜͟t̶̕ ̷k̸̡͜͢͝͞n̕o̸͘w̶͡ ̵̷̧̕͡҉w҉̵̸̨̡̧̛̛h҉͟҉at ̨̢̛͠͞a̧͟͢͢͠҉͝͞͏ ̷̷̛͠͝͏̢w̵̛̛͘͘͟͜͡͝a͏͢ŗ͝͞͝͏ ͝z҉͢o̵͘̕n̛͟͞͡e͏̡ ͜i͟s̛͏̵͢͝, ̡q̸̷̶̷̧̢̢̧̛ų̡̨̕͘͢͞͞͡i̶̵̸͘͞͝t̕͜͞e̴͞҉ ̶̴͢͝͠͞y҉̶̧̧̧̨͢͝e̸͠t͟,̵̵̴̨̨̕͜͠͠ l̕͟͏̢̡͢i҉̴̡͏͜͡t̴̴̢̨͜͡͠҉t̡̡̡͟͞͠l̴҉̴͏̶̧̨͞e͏͟͞ ͘͏̴̡̨̢P͏̛u̧̡̢҉p̷̴̶̶̢͢͞p̶͟҉͞e̸̡̧̡͢͜͞t̸͞.͜͢͡͏̵̕͜ ̷͟͡Tḩ̷̕͜͢͝o͠͏̵̴̨̧͟͝u̧̡̨̨g͞h͘,̷̷̢ ̸̡y҉̡̛͢͟͞͝͠ou͏̵̷̷̧̕͘͟͟ ̴̡̛̕͡͠͞ş̶͏̸̢͘͢i͢l̡̢̛͘͟͜͏͜͝ļ̷̸̛͡ ̕͘f̧̨͏̕i̷̴̢̧̕͜͝n̛̛͟d ͢ǫ̵̵̧u̴̶̶̡̕͠t ̡͜͡͞͡s̸̴̢̨͘͜͝oon͡҉͟,͡ ͢͏̷̛͜͞͠I̷̴̷̢̡͢͝ ҉̴͘c̵̸̨̕͢͢a̵̡͏̸̸̕̕͟n̛͟͠͏̸̴͢ ̸͝͡a͏̢̡̢̢͜͝͡ss̛͜͢u̷re̷̛ ̢̢̢͢͞͞͠y̴̨̢̛͟͞͝͏o̸u͢͝ ̷̴ơ̶̢͜͜͠f ̨͟͡͠t͞h̨a̸̴̡͘t̸̸̷̛̛͠͡.

 

There was a faint static noise in my ear, but it was barely noticeable to me as I focused on the two fighting in front of me. Small patches of the ground were completely charred, nothing but dusty remains surrounding it, leading me to believe that it was Nyala using her Electric magic against Sedephio. Nyala is a fierce guard of Nathal, and one he hired himself instead of getting chosen by the leader of our country like Nisk and the others had been. Her long red hair paired well with her odd purple eyes and her well toned and tanned skin. Sedephio dodges a burst of lightning that was where he once stood, and in turn a few rocks surrounding him levitate, and get chucked over at Nyala without a care. It seems that Sedephio wasn’t even trying.

 

“Come on Seph! At least  _ try! _ ” Nyala practically shouts, lightning sparking and gathering in her hand.

 

“We’ve been going at it for two hours, Nyala. Even I have limits,” Sedephio says, and he raises his hands, “I’m out. I’m sure someone else will gladly spar with you.”

 

Nyala seems to grumble before turning to all of us currently spectating on the porch.

 

“So… who wants to fight?!” She asks, still looking pent up.

 

Something seemed to have her on edge, which explained the boundless energy and the need to fight.

  
Lemn turned to Kyla who seemed rather reluctant to volunteer, then said, “Fine, I guess I’ll go.” 

 

Nisk pat Lemn on the shoulder as Lemn passed her, and then stood next to me.

 

“I assume Nathal told her about the chase if Nyala’s acting this way,” Nisk comments, and we both watch as Lemn takes her place where Sedephio stood in the battle.

 

“Most likely,” I reply.

 

Nyala smirks, and the electricity at her fingertips spark and dance, the pure white energy just begging to be released. While Lemn seems hesitant, there’s also a bit of confidence to her, as if knowing that Nyala won’t be able to defeat her easily. There’s a burst of white, and another charred patch of grass appears where Lemn had stood, but now she stood slightly to the left of it, looking down at the patch.

 

“Hey, I think you missed.” Lemn comments causally.

 

Nyala scowls, and her arm is suddenly covered in crackling electricity, whipping wildly around her, and distorting the air around her, creating a static charge. Lemn finally starts using her own magic when a fire sword forms in her hand. The long blade glows and forms into an actual solid, looking more like molten lava than fire itself. Another lightning bolt is shot towards her, and the sword easily deflects it. Nyala charges and jumps at Lemn, fist poised and aimed for her face, something that could probably easily break her nose. Lemn’s hand, covered in flames, comes up and meets Nyala’s fist, holding it still inches from her face. Lemn smiles cheekily and makes he first offensive move. Using the lightning around Nyala’s arm she forces it away from her, and a foot ignited in flame connects with Nyala’s side. Nyala creates some distance, and this time sends a large rod of lightning towards Lemn. Instead of moving out of the way, Lemn simply stands there.

 

For a heartbeat, I almost think she’s going to get struck head on by the rod. Instead the rod warps, and using both of her hands, she grabs the rod. Her face screws up at the contact, and she throws it back at Nyala. From over on the porch, I could see that Lemn’s hands had reddened, and were probably even a little burnt. Nonetheless, she had grabbed the rod and stopped it from skewering her.

 

“Alright, alright, that’s enough. I suppose I’ll give it a try now,” Kyla interjects.

 

Lemn pouts a little, “I was actually starting to have fun though.”

 

Kyla pointedly looks down at Lemn’s hands, and lightly pushes her towards the porch once she reached the mage.

 

“Shoo, go get healed,” Kyla says playfully, and faces Nyala after Lemn walks away. 

 

Lemn passes me with a wink, before entering the house where Sedephio currently was. My attention went towards Nathal, who was watching with rapid interest.

 

I face Nisk, who also seemed to be gaining interest in the battle.

 

“Nyala has never dealt with Illusion magic before, I wonder how she’ll handle it,” Nisk mutters to me, as if sensing my confusion.

 

“I know that Illusion magic is good for warping the reality that a brain perceives, but how exactly can she use it as an offensive? Or as a defense for Lightning?” I ask, switching my attention between the two on the field and the guard right in front of me.

 

“Illusion Magic is… difficult to understand and explain, considering the options that are so limited and open at the same time,” Nisk explains, glancing at me, “While it doesn’t act as a very good offense, it’s perfect to use because an enemy can see their ally instead of their enemy, or an ally will see an enemy instead of their own ally. It’s very good to use to incapacitate, and is often used as a distraction while others go in for an attack. The best way to explain it, is that it’s creativity based.”

 

I hum in acknowledgement, and face Nyala and Kyla again. Despite seeing nothing myself, Nyala’s face twists into a grimace as she faces Kyla.

 

“What kind of magic is that?” Nyala asks, looking at the sides of Kyla.

 

Creativity based indeed. I watch as Nyala starts throwing lightning to things that aren’t there, and she seems to be growing terrified, slowly but surely. Kyla, however, is just standing in the same spot, focusing intently on Nyala.

 

“That’s the only downside to Illusion magic,” Nisk suddenly says, “The amount of concentration it takes, no matter how good you are at it, leaves you vulnerable to anybody whom you aren’t affecting. If an enemy were to come up from behind, there’s nothing she could do, unless she wanted to lose control of what Illusion she was forcing on someone, with the consequence of it being harder to get back into their mind.”

 

I hear Nyala let out a roar, “Enough of this!”

 

Kyla suddenly grasps her own head, and it seems as if whatever Nyala had been seeing, was no longer affecting her.

 

“Illusion magic, I almost forgot that was what you had mastered to become a guard.” Nyala says, “I’m done with that. At least for today.”

 

“Guess that just leaves me,” Nisk says, standing up. She pats my back and when she passes Kyla, she gives her a high five.

 

“You've always refused to spar with me before,” Nyala comments, “I’m curious to see how you’ll do now.”

 

It seems like whatever Kyla had forced Nyala to see was no longer affecting her, and her lightning wrapped around her fingertips, this time with a tint of yellow to them

 

“It seems as if the bolts aren’t as charged as before,” Nisk notes, “What exactly did Kyla show you in her illusions?”

 

“Nothing,” Nyala insists, and a bolt of lightning quickly followed her words.

 

Nisk quickly moves out of the way, yet I see no magic spark at her fingertips. Burst after burst of lightning and it seems like Nyala was back to how she was before, the tint of yellow in her lightning long gone. Nisk only seems to be dodging, not one showing signs of magic lr raising her hands for offense. Instead she seems to be steadily getting closer to Nyala, closing the gap that was previously between them. Just as Nisk gets within arms length, there’s a sudden flash of purple, and a sword is now pointed at Nyala’s chest, merely inches away. The sword looks to be more like a rapier, and Nyala’s lightning concentrates around her hands, and she swings at Nisk. It’s almost as if watching the two enter a dance as they fight in mostly hand to hand combat.

 

Nyala laughs, “For someone with conjuration magic, you sure seem like you don’t know how to use it!”

 

Nisk merely smiles at the taunt, and her rapier changes into two small daggers. As Nisk’s blows land, I realize that Nyala isn’t actually getting cut by the blades.

 

“Nathal?” I ask turning to the Fae, “Why aren’t Nisk’s blades cutting Nyala?”

 

He studies their fight, “Normally it would, but I suppose that’s the extent of her control on her magic. She’s choosing not to hurt whom she considers a friend, and it seems to be working.”

 

Finally, it seems after the three battles, Nyala sinks to her knees, trying to catch her breath. She sends a toothy grin to Nisk.

 

“Now  _ that _ was conjuration magic.”

 

Nisk helps Nyala off the ground, and they both walk over to us. I look to the side and realized that at some point Lemn and Sedephio had come back outside without me noticing. I brush it off, and Avenir walks out of the house, holding bags of food that smelled heavenly. We all cheer and spread the food out, and I quickly swipe up a hotdog, putting a little ketchup on it before digging in. It tasted just as good as it had smelled, and my mouth was watering. I scarfed down the rest of it like the others were doing with their own food, and I listened to the chatter among friends, glad to see that the mood was high.

 

Nisk, Kyla, and Lemn all teased each other, esch of them with large smiles on their faces, and I watched as Avenir and Sedephio bantered with each other, giggling at a few puns that were released from Avenir. Nathal was happily chatting away with Nyala who looked like she was about ready to start battling again, this time more out of energy instead of pent-up anger. I grab another hotdog, and eat this one more slowly, savoring the flavor and the moment in front of me.

 

The three guards started laughing very loudly, and I shook my head with a chuckle, my attention back on them. Kyla’s eyes caught mine, and she gave me a smile, waving me into the conversation. I shook my head, and mouthed a quick ‘thank you’ before turning my attention back to the brothers I lived with. Avenir seemed to be watching Sedephio fondly as Sedephio excitedly talked with Nyala, the topic conversation about cooking something. Avenir caught my eyes, and winked, his smile growing ever so slightly.

 

We found the day quickly passing, and we all huddled together, watching the sunset turn into the night sky, littered with stars. The first to leave was Nyala, informing us that she had to escort another charge of hers the next day. After that was Nathal, which meant that Nisk was leaving as well. As Nathal said his goodbyes, Nisk gave me a hug and a promise to hang out again soon. Lemn and Kyla were both quick to follow, as each had to deal with their own charges tomorrow as well, leaving just the fae brothers and I.

 

I was sandwiched between the two. Sedephio on my right, his head leaning against the top of mine, his left hand intertwined with my right. Avenir was on my left, his right arm around my waist, and his left hand grasping mine. He leaned his cheek against my shoulder, and the three of us watched as the night sky filled with more stars, and a crescent moon could be seen high in the sky. After another moment of peace, Sedephio was the first to move, claiming he needed rest, leaving just Avenir and I on the porch. I slowly found myself falling asleep to the music of crickets and the steady rhythm of Avenir's heart. Before I fully slipped into unconsciousness, I felt something feather light press against my forehead, and the ruffle of clothing before something warm was draped across my shoulders. I felt a smile tug at my lips before everything went black.

  
  


I found myself drifting in an inky blackness when my eyes had next opened. Even then, it couldn’t quite be called black, when it seemed to be even darker than that. When I looked down, I could somehow see my hand as if I were in perfect lighting, and I looked around again, growing confused. I realized that there was a certain lack of air and a constant breeze that I was used to, causing goosebumps to crawl up my arm, making their presence known. Slowly, I realized, that almost all my senses were currently deprived. I couldn’t hear anything, nor was there anything to feel. I could only see myself, and there was nothing in the air that I could taste. No freshness that always seemed present, not even anything metallic tasting. No smell was present, as far as I could tell at least, and I found myself shaking from this sudden loss of senses. Slight static filled the air, and despite the noise being grating on my ears, I found that it was better than the nothingness that was there before.

 

I look around again, my eyes landing on a far away dot. As I reach out to touch it, I find myself jerked away, and I shut my eyes against the harsh light that was suddenly o)present. After a lot of blinking and mentally gathering myself, I open my eyes and find that colors seem a lot more sharp than they were before, if that was even possible. The smell of pancakes made my mouth water, and my hands brush against the fluff of a large coat. It was Avenir’s black coat that is currently draped across my shoulders, and I’m surprised that he willingly parted with it. I stood up, using one hand to keep the coat on my shoulders, and the other was against the arm of the living room sofa that I assume Avenir took me to after I had fallen asleep last night. 

 

After it felt like I had my balance again, I shuffled into the kitchen where Sedephio was flipping pancakes, and Avenir was watching his brother, his chin on his hand, looking pretty bored.

 

“Mornin’,” I slurred out slightly.

 

Sedephio looks back and smiles at me, but goes quickly back to cooking, and Avenir faces me with a smile as well. He freezes, and looks my disheveled form over. I smile at him, and slip the jacket off my shoulders, handing it to him, and sitting down next to him.

 

“Thanks for letting me borrow that. I know that you don’t part with it easily,” I say, laying my head on the cool counter, and shutting my eyes.

 

“... No problem, Saph.”

 

Opening my eyes again, I watched as Sedephio danced around the kitchen and prepared breakfast. For someone who could be considered a new cook, he was doing exceptionally well with it. He was preparing what looked like some french toast, eggs and bacon, and the smell completely filled the kitchen and made my mouth water.

 

“I’m glad to see you both awake so soon,” Sedephio says cheerfully after a moment, “Normally you both will sleep in quite late.”

 

I chuckle softly, “We  _ are _ capable of getting up early, we just don’t do it often.”

 

“Or at all,” Avenir adds.

 

Sedephio shakes his head, and takes down three plates from a nearby cabinet.

 

“Well, you should do it more often! It’s a good habit to get into!” He says, shaking the spatula he was holding at the both of us.

 

“But Seph, I’m too lazy,” I tease with a wink.

 

“I know! You picked up that nasty habit from my brother,” Sedephio says with a sigh.

 

Avenir and I exchange glances, both of us smiling. We always loved teasing him, even if it was over simple things like sleeping. Filling all three plates with hefty servings, a plate gets put down in front of Avenir and I both, and Sedephio sits in between both of us, setting down his own plate.

 

“Thanks Sedephio,” I say with a smile, digging into the food that seemed nearly perfect. It’s a wonder he isn’t a chef instead of a guard.

 

As we eat, Avenir starts finding new ways to rile up his brother, who nearly shrieks at the moment of Avenir’s first pun of the day. I stifle my laughing as Avenir starts to rapid fire puns at his brother, who after a while, merely stands up and runs out of the house, letting the door slam behind him. My stifled laughing turns to full out cackling after the door shuts, and Avenir starts laughing as well.

 

It takes a moment, but when our laughing dies down, Avenir turns to me with a shine in his eye.

 

“I forgot what he was like when I told puns,” He comments.

 

“How could you forget?” I ask, “He nearly screams at every one of them. Then again, you always use the same ones, never coming up with something new or original.”

 

He hold a hand over his heart in mock hurt, “Ouch, never knew you to say a burn so low.”

 

I stick my tongue out, and turn back to my food and finish it off before grabbing all three plates and putting them in the sink to wash later. Avenir follows me out of the kitchen and collapses on the couch right next to me, both of us sitting in a comfortable silence. The day definitely started out right with the banter between the brothers, and it left a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest. The smile lingered on my face, and Avenir turned on our T.V., flipping between channels, probably looking for something good. He stops at the news channel, the caption and scene catching both of our attentions.

 

_ Man found dead in streets, cause unknown _

 

The picture was of some old and creepy alleyway, the thing catching our attention being the fact that it was only a few blocks away from our house. The man was a store owner we saw frequently, and his body was mostly mangled, looking horribly deformed.

 

“Why would…?” I trail off, watching as they explained that he was found in his store, cameras cut off, and audio clipped and staticy, leading them to believe that the person had known what they were doing.

 

“You getting chased, and now someone nearby suddenly dies… that can’t be a coincidence,” Avenir, murmurs out. 

 

I don’t reply, looking at the mangled body, feeling my stomach twist. Is that what would’ve happened to me if I had not run? Or run fast enough? It was a worrying thought, and I found myself thankful that I was able to get close enough to home for help from Avenir. He switches the channels again, and I feel a small amount of his weight lean against me. When I glance over at him, he’s still facing the T.V., but I know that he was trying to be comforting. I let out a sigh and lean against him a bit as well, happy for the contact. A lot of heavy knocks on the door break us out of the moment, and without waiting for us to actually open the door, the thing slams open, and I wince, hoping the hinges aren’t broken. In walks pretty much everybody from yesterday, and Nyala quickly walks over to us, and with a huff, plops down on the couch.

 

“uuhhh….?” I question.

 

At least the others look a bit bashful, and I decided that it was just a spur of the moment Nyala decision. 

 

“After hearing the news, we’ve decided maybe it was best to stick together for a bit longer,” Nathal explains, sitting on the loveseat.

 

Nisk walks up to me and holds out her hand, “It’s also a good idea to  _ not _ forget the reason we bought the necklace in the first day. It’s as good as a time as any to start infusing a bit of our magic in it.”

 

I nod and remove the necklace from my neck, and carefully place it in her palm, she smiles at me, and cups her other hand on top of it. A purple mist seems to faintly swirl around her hands, and when she opens them, a purple glow now surrounds the shining turtle. She walks over to Nathal, and hands it to him. He takes it, and does the same, and a part of the purple glow turns orange. Nisk sits down as Nathal stands up and hands it off to Lemn, and a red patch is added. Lemn hands it off to Kyla and a patch of sky blue is added, and off to Nyala it goes. A green patch is added, and finally it’s handed off to Avenir who adds a navy blue patch and hands the necklace back to me. The swirl of colors looks almost rainbow like, and I put it back on, feeling the tingle of magic against my skin.

 

“We can add my bro’s once he’s back,” Avenir says, turning back to the television.

 

“If you’re ever in trouble, just say one of our names, and we’ll be there to help,” Nisk explains with a smile.

 

The room goes mostly quiet as everybody sits down where they can, mostly focused on the T.V. The necklace faintly buzzed against my skin, and despite it being a new sensation, it was actually quite pleasant. I toyed with the turtle in my hands, rubbing my thumb against the smooth surface of the polished jade, and I was happy that I had it. It felt good knowing I was protected at almost all times now. 

 

Breaking the silence moments later, Nyala suggested games, and everyone quickly jumped on the idea. I got some games from a nearby hall closet and spread them all out. Half an hour later, we found ourselves- somehow- in a high stakes monopoly game. Everybody had placed in some sort of bet. I had placed in a few bucks because I didn’t really have anything interesting, Avenir had placed in a few gold coins that would be useful once transferred into actual money, while Nyala had decided to bet her house. Her whole house. Sometimes I wondered about her thought process. Even better, Lemn had bet her pet dog, while Nathal had bet a tea set. Kyla has bet some cash as well while Nisk had bet one of the gems she collected while going around the country. It looked like a polished aquamarine, and when I asked, she had confirmed that it was.

 

Lemn ended up being the first one out and she let out a huff, spectating the rest of the game.

 

“I lost my damn dog,” She mumbled out, “Why did I even bet my dog?”

 

“You should’ve done a dare so we can finally get you to ask out that waitress,” Nisk teased.

 

“FINE! I just want my dog” 

 

“too late, can’t go back now,” Nyala says, rolling the dice.

 

“GODDAMMIT!” 

 

Everybody laughs and I watch as Nathal is the next to lose. An hour later Kyla’s out and the rest of us are loaded with properties, only two remaining unbought on the board. On Avenir’s turn he loads his properties with houses and hotels, leaving him with little to no money. Almost as if further lamenting that point, he immediately lands on Nyala’s 4-house boardwalk, and he has to sell the hotels and houses he just bought, and he has barely anything left. Nyala was now pretty much the most wealthy in the game, leaving me, Nisk, and Avenir to start coming up with deals. It helped somewhat, but Avenir still ended up out leaving it between Nisk, Nyala and I. Despite my best efforts, luck was not on my side, and I ended up out because I had already had too much leeway for ending up on Nisk’s properties.

 

It was  _ somehow _ a full two hours later before a winner was declared. Nyala let out a screech and suplexed  _ the whole damn couch _ , as Nisk let out a laugh at her victory.

 

“You can, erm… keep your house, ya know. I  _ really _ don’t need a second one. Nor do I need a third dog, so you can keep yours, Lemn.” Nisk says, but she does round up the gold and cash.

 

“Thank fucking god!”

 

We all laugh, and the door opens, and Sedephio enters.

 

“Perfect timing for the next game, Seph!” Nyala says cheerfully pulling out a Clue board game.

 

_ Dear god save us all if we play that game. _

 

Sedephio shakes his head, “As much as I love a good challenge, we can’t. The representatives have called a meeting and I’ve been sent to fetch everyone.”

 

“What did they call the meeting for?” Nathal asks.

 

“Nobody said, but what they did tell me, was that it was urgent.” He explains.

 

Nathal sighs, and stands up, and Nisk was quick to follow behind him. Lemn and Kyla follow, sticking by their friend’s side, and Avenir is much slower to get ready to part. After a lot of convincing on everybody’s part, I decided to join them, and head for the building where the meeting would be held. As we head outside, they almost seemed to make a protective circle around me, and I wasn’t sure if they were even aware they were doing it. Nisk decides to strike up conversation with me, which inevitably pulled in Kyla and Lemn as well. soon the whole group was brought in, and somehow it had turned into a mess of banter. A small smile lingered on my face as I became quiet and watched everyone tease each other in some form or another. A small bump against m shoulder pulled me out of my thoughts, and I look over to see a smiling Nisk. I bump into her in return and her smile grows. She seems satisfied and turns back to the others and jumps back in on the conversation.

 

It’s a long walk, but eventually we find ourselves in front of a large building, in fact, it was the city hall. Press was in front of the area, and as if in an unspoken agreement the guards circle around me, protecting me from the sudden onslaught of cameras, as we quickly head into the building after going through levels of security. After much convincing, I was able to follow them in, and I found myself in a large circular room with a large chandelier hanging from the very top. rows of columns were lined against the walls, the marble greatly contrasting against the dark walls filled with designs. Nisk, Lemn, Kyla, and Nyala reluctantly stayed behind on orders of the representatives, and watched as the others walked through a small doorway leading to a meeting room. Meanwhile, I followed them into a room further away, which looked like a lounge room.

 

 It was medium in size, the layout similar to that of a normal living room, just with a lot more chairs and loveseats. A T.V. was on the far side of the room, and it looked quite large, taking up a fourth of the wall itself. In front of it, in a half circle, was a couch and two loveseats, each a solid black color, a stark contrast to the walls that looked almost pearl white. There was a small window on every wall, showing either the outside, or the main room of the building, and in between the seats and the T.V. was a coffee table that was currently filled with snacks for us.  Ericka, guard to Kabel, already sat on the couch in the middle of the room, flipping between T.V. channels. She, like Kabel, had autumn-burn hair, only hers was passed her shoulders, mostly tied up in a bun to fit under her helmet. Her weapon of choice, which was always on display, was a long rapier, with a dagger visible, tucked away next to her left hip bone, always there in case of emergencies.

 

“I wonder what's so important that we can’t go into the meeting with them,” Lemn asks.

 

“Eh, knowin’ Jeneris or Nathal, the three of us will find out soon enough,” Nisk says, guiding us all to the couches.

 

“True.” Lemn collapsed onto one of the couches, sinking into the cushions. 

 

Nisk ends up almost toppling on top of Lemn from the sudden movement with the arm still around Lemn’s shoulders, and playfully rolls her eyes at Lemn.

 

“Some warning next time, yeah?” Nisk faces Kyla and Sapphire, patting the couch next to her.

 

Kyla happily plops down onto the couch, “Hope whatever is going on isn’t too serious.”

 

“A meeting like this? So suddenly? It’s serious for sure,” Nisk says.

 

“It’s about recent attacks happening around the city,” Erica suddenly states, as if it was obvious. 

 

All four of us look at the guard, surprised.

 

“Attacks?” I ask, remembering my own chase through the forest.

 

“The ones happening throughout the city, yeah,” Lemn adds, “but they don’t seem connected at all, and crime isn’t exactly rare. Why call a meeting for it?”

 

“I just know the reason, not any details past that,” Erica dismisses.

 

A rock settles in my gut after realizing that so many attacks seemed to be happening. If it was enough to cause a meeting like this to happen, then what was going on?

 

“I’m no detective, but the crimes have a good chance of being part of something bigger if a meeting was like this called about them,” Kyla adds with a small hum of thought.

 

“It has been a long time since I’ve seen a meeting called with all four representatives. Normally it’s just one or two  _ maybe _ even three, but never four.” Nisk says, looking contemplative.

 

“I hope it’s nothing too extreme,” Lemn said, as if sensing the tense atmosphere. 

 

“That’s what we’re all hoping,” Nisk comments with a grim face.

 

My jade necklace seemed to grow warm and gain a slight glow, in response, and I reach up and touch it, a numb feeling washing over me.

 

“Is everything alright?” Kyla asks, noticing my expression.

 

I nod in response, “Yeah, I’m good. Just… worried is all. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

 

“If you say so,” She says, giving me a somewhat comforting smile in return.

 

Ericka’s gaze seems to linger, and it looks like she’s contemplating something. As if coming to her own conclusion, she nods and looks away focusing back on the conversation. I zone it out and start toying with the Jade necklace, watching the light shine off the gemstone, making the multi-colored aura around it seem somehow brighter. The conversation lowers to mumbling, and soon it fades completely as I watch the magic dance around the gem in an almost mesmerizing way.

 

**_You are not as protected as it seems, Puppet._ **

 

The voice catches me off guard, and I fight the urge to jump and scream at the familiar voice. Nisk notices my sudden stiffness though, and moves a bit closer to me, as if offering comfort. I wondered if since her magic was now with the gem if she could hear it at all. I throw that theory out the window, because I remember that the others would hear it to and start questioning it. I remain silent and see if the voice will continue, but it seems as if that’s all it had to say. The heat and light that the necklace had gained left, and I found that it as actually a bit cold to the touch now, though that was probably because my hand was used to its heat.

 

I find it hard to relax though, and I remain in my thoughts, only shaking out of my stupor when Nisk bumps into me softly, a questioning look in her eyes. I merely give her a smile, and she looks unconvinced this time, and she sticks close as we leave the room, heading towards the front doors where everybody stood, waiting. I shake off the numb feeling that had somehow overtaken me, and force a smile onto my face, greeting the group. Among them was Donhol, representative of Spirikin and a short and skinny man with a large temper and a very small amount of patience. His personality is rubbish and he’s rude to pretty much everybody, yet his looks are quite the opposite. His short and spiky, jet black hair compliments his sharp jaw and chin, and somehow his dull brown eyes with flecks of green in them compliment him well. It’s a shame he’s an asshole.

  
  


Next to him was Kabel, the representative of Humans, and a man with a rounded face that makes him look younger than he actually is. His small autumn-burn locks contrast with his ocean blue eyes, but he manages to pull off the look well. Despite his looks, he’s known as a mature man with a short temper that only means well. He’s often short with the media, but always has good facts and points to back his anger. Jeneris is next to him, looking as if he was in the middle of explaining something before I walked over. His emerald green eyes flick over to me, and he gives me a smile. Jeneris may represent arguably one of the worst races on the planet, but he happens to be one of the best universes out there. His kind nature extends to anyone he meets, and he helps those he  _ can’t _ meet in any way he can. He’s a tall man with a resting bitch face and square shoulders that make him seem tough, a stark contrast to his personality. Before becoming a representative of Mages, he was shy and introverted, only learning how to be firm and outgoing through experience. His short dirty blonde hair goes well with his emerald eyes, and he is known to be protective of his family and friends. Beside him, waiting patiently stands Nathal, and he smiles kindly at our arrival and waves us over. Nisk quickly takes his side, and I’m a little slower to follow, worried about what the others would say.

 

“Sapphire, hopefully everything was fine while you all had waited? We took quite a while, sadly.” He asks, a soft look on his features.

 

I wondered how long I was stuck in my own thoughts, but replied easily, “Of course! It could never get boring with those guards in the room.”

 

Nathal laughs and Nisk smirks, “I suppose that is true, little one. Anyways, the others are actually quite eager to meet you with how you’ve always managed to evade the media. They want to know about the roommate of Avenir and Sedephio, though you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I can easily make sure they don’t invade your privacy.”

 

I wave off his concern, knowing the distraction would do me well, “It’s fine, I can make sure they don’t ask too much. I’ll be happy to properly meet them.”

 

Nathal pats my shoulder, “Let one of us know if it becomes too much, we can whisk you away from all of this if you need it.”

 

He guides me over to where Avenir and Sedephio were talking to Kabel, and the men lighten up as I approach. 

 

Kabel turned to me, holding out his hand, “and I don’t think we’ve met before, Miss…”

 

“Sapphire,” I supply, giving him a polite smile and grasping his hand.

 

He surprises me by bowing slightly and putting the softest whisper of a kiss on my hands, “A beautiful name for a jewel of a lady.”

 

I quickly flush wondering where that came from, blood rushing to my face as my cheeks change to what I was sure was a bright red.

 

Kabel turns back to Avenir and Sedephio, “I trust you both will be present in the next meeting?”

 

“Indeed we will, good sir!” Sedephio eagerly responds while Avenir merely nods.

 

“Good,” Kabel says with a smile, “You both always find a way to keep these things from going South. And what about you, Sapphire? I don’t think I’ve see you in a meeting before.”

 

“She’s here for personal reasons,” Avenir cuts in, and I’m surprised by the clipped tone from the normally calm fae, “But she won’t be in the meeting itself.”

 

Kabel also looks a bit surprised by his tone, but smiles, a knowing lit to it, “Of course. It was a pleasure meeting you Sapphire.”

 

He turns back to me, giving me a soft smile, before nodding at Ericka, the both of them walking out of the building and into the held back crowd. Despite the confrontation being short, it still left me feeling a bit flustered considering the fact that I was almost a hundred percent sure that he was flirting with me. Or was he just being chivalrous? No… no, pretty sure he was flirting. … Well okay then. Moving on, I turned to the brothers who seemed to now be in their own conversation, and I decide to move on. I move towards where Lemn was standing next to Jeneris, and when he notices me, he’s quick to greet me and add me to the conversation. I found myself actually enjoying the conversation, but it was sadly cut short when he realized that he had somewhere to be. With the promise of meeting again, he and Lemn both leave the building, leaving me with just one more to meet. I could  _ feel _ Donhol’s judgemental stare on my back as I spoke to the others, and I slapped on a smile, turning to him, happy to at least see that Kyla was there as well.

 

Striking up conversation was hard with the bitter man, but Kyla helped soothe him and start up a proper conversation instead of him reprimanding me for pretty much everything ever. Very quickly he finds an excuse to leave, and Kyla follows after a quick goodbye. Turning towards the Fae brothers, I assumed Nathal had his own business to attend to considering both him and Nisk were gone as well.

 

“It’s about time to go home, don’tcha think?” I ask with a smile.

 

Avenir and Sedephio both quickly agree, and we leave the building through the back entrance, avoiding the paparazzi, and start the trek home. I talk comfortably with the two brothers, happy to no longer deal with a large crowd, even if they were all nice people…. mostly. We make a quick stop at a restaurant for some dinner, and finally arrive home not too long afterwards. Not having the energy to go up the stairs to our rooms both Avenir and I plop down on the couch, content to rest there. I watch with droopy eyes as Sedephio lifts up his snoozing brother and carries him upstairs to his actual room. The last thing I remember before slipping off into the land of dreams was strong arms picking me up off the couch and cradling me against their chest before gently putting me down on something soft.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty! Here we go! This is when the conflict will start picking up and revealing itself a bit more, and the next and final chapter of this little run will be when shit goes down to really kick start this book! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!


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